Greensburg, IN - The City of Greensburg today announced that the community has been awarded $150,000 from the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC).
In October of 2020, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) announced that the Destination Development Grant program application period was open. The most recent grants include the Minnetrista Cultural Foundation for the Bob Ross Experience, the Evansville Zoological Society for Mesker Park Zoo, and the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau for the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course.
"Both of these grant awardees offer unique attractions and build on Indiana's quality of life," said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. "The Destination Development Grants will not only boost Auburn and Greensburg, but also serve as new reasons to bring people to their regions."
The IDDC considered 30 grant applicants across the state in 2021, and narrowed it down to four contenders. Other finalists with the City of Greensburg included the Children's Museum of Indianapolis and Newfields, which were not awarded funds. The City of Greensburg worked in partnership with the Decatur County Visitors Commission and the Greensburg/Decatur County Economic Development Corporation to apply for the funds and present to the IDDC.
“The project is a great example of cooperation toward a vision the community has had for the area, and we have been working toward over the last 3 years," said EDC Director Bryan Robbins. "Great projects take time, and this is one that has the capability of attracting both new visitors, and new residents.”
"It is an incredible honor to be awarded this Destination Development Grant, and it demonstrates at a high level that the State of Indiana recognizes the hard work we are all doing to make Greensburg and Decatur County an extraordinary place to live and to visit," said Decatur County Visitors Commission Executive Director Philip Deiwert. "Decatur County Tourism was thrilled to partner with the City of Greensburg on this grant application, and we look forward to working together to see the Pirate Park project completed."
Pirate Park is a project that was part of Greensburg's 2016 Stellar Community presentation to the State of Indiana. The City of Greensburg has been working on Pirate Park, a free, public greenspace, since 2016 and is now close to completion. It is expected to be operational in 2021. The park will not only be a public green space in our community, but will also serve as a youth soccer and travel tournament complex and will be free to the community to use. Current plans call for various sized soccer fields, a concession stand, storage area, and public restrooms. Upon completion, it will serve as a full-service soccer tournament complex for Southeastern Indiana.
"On behalf of the Decatur County Soccer Club, I am excited that the Decatur County Tourism Board was awarded a grant for the Pirate Park project," said Greensburg Soccer Club Director of Marketing Adam Wentzel. "We appreciate the support and look forward to being in our new home in the near future.”
"In a community like Greensburg, it is important to have public spaces that can serve many different functions," said Greensburg Mayor Joshua Marsh. "Pirate Park is more than just a soccer complex- it is a public space in our community that can be used in tandem with the spaces and buildings around it. This project is now five years in the making, and I am pleased to see it in the final stages. We were able to go up against some major names in the tourism industry, and winning these funds show that the IDDC and the State of Indiana care about growing our rural communities and expanding tourism opportunities.
"This is one of the largest, if not the largest, quality-of-life grants that the City of Greensburg has ever received. I would like to thank Lieutenant Governor Crouch and the IDDC for continuing to be a great community partner and assisting us with improving the quality of life not only in Greensburg, but in Southeastern Indiana. The future of Pirate Park is very bright!"
